Lights on or light off at dawn and dusk

I reckon they should come on automatically when you start driving whether it's day or night. I drive with mine on either day or night. I guess it's easy for me as the Triton has that facility available.

My headlights come and off depending on environmental light intensities - so auto on at night and low light during the day.

At times in N.S.W. you will see road signs advising drivers to turn their headlights on during daylight hours.

Similarly, the R.T.A. or whatever their name is this week, have theirs come on automatically when the engine starts.

Personally, I'm of two minds about this, on some roads, yes, on others no, but what does annoy the crap out of me are those who have their headlight on high beam during the day. What, with some of the headlamp bulbs putting out 150 watts worth of light, they are blinding.

And slightly off thread.......

If you are towing a van with a 12v fridge drawing off the alternator, an Elgel, plus one or two deep cycle batteries, would having the headlamps and the rest of the light show on tug and van, place an undue load on the alternator?

I think you will find it is the law in Canada to drive with lights on 24/7

Alan

Like to have the lights on full time as it seems a good safety issue.Had the facillity "daytime running lights" wired into both the x-trail & the triton. Headlights came on when key turned on & parkers & taillights in low light situation. No worries about flattening battery.With the Mahindra auto lecky could not make it work. Parkers & taillights would stay on after engine turned off. Removed so that would not flatten battery. Bill

I turn them on as required. If it is bad lighting yes but for full sun on a freeway - nope. For all situations in between I judge them according to what I see. I do not have 20-20 vision and need to wear glasses. If I find it any way difficult then on they go.

I never drive with the fog lights on unless it is foggy or hazy or smoky or the cops announce that it is okay to turn them on. In most of these situations it can be beneficial to turn the headlights off.

I never drive in the daytime with the high beam on. Nor in a built up area at night with the high beam on.

It irritates me that on a dual carriageway that oncoming cars seem to think it is okay to leave their high beams and driving lights on.

I will meet the 100% brigade part way with having lights on in the daytime.

Phil

This may get shot in the head as it is a bit OT.

Wato

I was wondering why vision in the mirror isn't as good as out the front? You said: "Looking out of the front of the car its reasonably clear, but a quick look in the mirror its not so clear"

Possibly dirty on the inside of the car's side and rear windows or do you have tinting on the windows that may be a bit dark?

Because of our aging eyes we have a bit of tinting but purposely, apart from the regs, made the front passenger and driver side windows and the rear window a little lighter.

Phil

One of my vehicles has an audible alarm if I leave my lights on.
I use them every time I drive... the others, I'm reluctant to put lights on in daylight as I so often leave them on and end up with a flat batt.

AFAIK it is a legal requirement to have your headlights, not park or fog, on between the hours of sunset and sunrise. Obviously this can be modified to suit conditions of bad visibility such as rain, just heavy clouds, mist, fog or whatever. As was mentioned in an earlier thread certain colours of vehicles make them much harder to see under some circumstances.
Having said all that I drive a white Landcruiser often towing a 22' equally white caravan and if you are having trouble seeing either or both on a bright sunny day maybe you need to see a good optometrist.

Cheers
Pop

Hi Wato,

I had a near death experience years ago and now I always have them on. I was traveling near Jerilderie. A Truck started to overtake another truck about 50 yards in front of me coming my way. I went bush and cleaned up several small saplings. The trucks stopped to check on me and I dont know who was whiter me or him. He said he just didn't see me.

When I thought about it I was more at fault then the trucky, Not having my lights on could have killed me and your a long time dead.

I wish all cars automatically come on and go off, Now that ll be a real road safety improvement.

Cheers Wilko

Common sense....Sunset on, Sunrise off, unless it's raining on all the time, and if you own a silver/grey vehicle, ON all the time, the idea is to be seen, if the other driver does not see you ..........
Also if in late afternoon you have the Sun low behind you turn lights on so the on coming traffic can see you.

.

Both of my cars are set to daytime running of lights.
Would not have it any other way.
I do a lot of travel in regional areas....I want to be seen.

I very nearly met Jesus on the old Hume Highway near Wangaratta in the 1970's.

Here's how it nearly happened. Travelling south in a HD wagon, late afternoon, with trees on the roadside verge creating shadows, wife and kids on board. We came up behind a slow ice cream delivery truck. Pulled out a little bit, road was clear and broken lines in the roadway, so I accelerated and commenced to overtake.

Suddenly, not far in front of me and coming straight at me was a light brown VW beetle. I can remember clearly my thoughts at the time, if I hit the VW we are gone, if I swerve into the truck I might stand a chance.

However, I braked and I'd say the VW also did, and I managed to slip back behind the truck. I smoked in those days and I stopped up the road and had about four durries in rapid succession to calm my nerves down.

What I reckoned occurred is this, the VW being a colour that could easily blend in with the background, did just that. The tree shadows across the road adding to camouflage. I find that when you overtake you give the ground in front of you a quick scan, then focus on the vehicle being overtaken and the near distance so as to pass and return to your side of the road with a margin of safety. In that momentary glance up the road I missed the VW.

I have long maintained that some vehicle paint colours should be prohibited, such as some shades of brown, green and even black, because they blend in with the background vegetation.

You will see A.D.F. vehicles that are painted in camouflage colours on the road with their headlights on during the day, for this very reason.

Though I wear glasses now, at that time I didn't as my occupation required perfect vision, without spectacles.

I'm for lights on in rural areas during the day.

we have a silver grey navara and have had a switch that turns on lights automatically when ignition is on. Not so important when towing the van as it stands out like a big white block of flats.
Cannot believe the number of cars (darker colors mostly) who had lights off around 4pm on a wet rainy day on the Princes Hwy b/w Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale last week.

I subscribe to the 'See and Be Seen, HEADlights on 24/7', as seen on some roadside signs.
One thing that bugs me are vehicles with only PARKING lights on. The drivers then falsely assume they are safe. You can usually see the vehicle before the lights.

I have a silver coloured Landcruiser which is probably one of the poorest to see in dull weather. I recently fitted a set of Philips LED Daytime Running Lights kit which are wired to come on whenever the vehicle is started. They turn off automatically when the motor is stopped and when the headlights are turned on according to Transport regulations. I am happy with this safety feature.

In Europe since 01/07/2011, all new vehicles must be fitted with this feature and I would not be surprised to see this saftey requirement appear more in Australia.

Cheers

Like a number of other posters, I had an "experience" years ago while overtaking (oncoming silver/grey car) and since then I nearly always have the lights on (My cruiser is also silver).
Even if it was a different colour I would use lights as they allow you to be seen earlier in certain situations, eg winding road with roadside trees or road with "dips" or when you pull out from behind a truck because you haven't seen another oncoming car.
What harm does it do to highlight your own presence (so long as you don't use high beam or fog lights)
If an oncoming B-double is about to start overtaking another B-double I'd like him to know where I am even if it is more than a km away.

Also, my dear departed dad taught me years ago that if you can see the shadow of your vehicle infont of you, then you should put your headlights on.

Peter